Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Koons | Lt. j.g. Edward Colf (left) and Ensign Jeramy Smith (center) conduct business in USS...... read more read more
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USS WASP – One of the more personal positions at a Navy command is that of chaplain, as he or she is often the one person Sailors feel they can turn to in times of need or distress. From Aug. 9-23 onboard USS Wasp, two young officers have been training as chaplain candidates to one day fill that role.
Ens. Jeramy Smith, 29, and Lt. j.g. Edward Colf, 31, are both part of the Navy’s Chaplain Candidate Officer Program. As part of the on-the-job-training portion of the program, both of them have been assisting Lt. Matthew Weems, Wasp’s command chaplain, in daily tasks and responsibilities.
“We’ve led Bible studies, worked in the Library Media Research Center, and participated in general quarters drills and ‘clamp down,’” said Smith, a native of Molena, Ga. “We’ve also led the evening prayer over the 1MC.”
Both men are reservists who said that they joined the Navy specifically for the chance to assume the role of a command chaplain, a job they describe as being vital to the health and welfare of a ship’s crew.
“After I enlisted in the Navy in 1998, I served onboard USS Albany as a lay leader,” said Colf, a Free Will Baptist. “During my tour, two sailors attempted suicide, and chaplains from Albany’s home base came aboard to counsel both them and the rest of the crew. I saw how they helped lead those two sailors to a better and healthier life, and that’s what I would like to do for those who need my help.”
“I come from a deeply religious family,” added Smith, a Pentecostal. “When I was 16, I received my calling from God to go into the ministry. Since I also wanted to serve my country, I decided to join the Navy and study to be a Chaplain.”
The two-week training course is just one part of a multi-step process for both men in their respective journeys toward being Navy chaplains.
“To become a Navy chaplain, you have to get a master’s degree in divinity, be ordained by a recognized faith organization, serve at least two years as a minister in your church, and then complete both Officer Development School and the Naval Chaplain Basic Course,” said Colf. “We’re both still working on our master’s degrees and I have yet to go through the Chaplain’s course.”
For Colf, who is currently enrolled in Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Ala., becoming a chaplain is the culmination of a process that began at the age of 14 when he says he dedicated his life to Jesus Christ.
“I had a friend who became a completely different person right down to his very core when he found Christ, so I went and discovered that faith is very real, and I, too, became a Christian,” said Colf.
For Smith, the role of a command chaplain is one that requires the utmost dedication to ensuring all sailors have the support they need to complete their jobs and lead healthy, productive lives.
“I’d like to assist younger sailors in making responsible decisions and give them a sense of hope when it seems their world is falling apart,” said Smith. “I’d also like to encourage sailors to experience God for themselves in their own personal way.”
According to Weems, both Smith and Colf have gained valuable experience during their time on Wasp that will aid them greatly once they become chaplains.
“They’ve encouraged the crew in their faith, built relationships, and taken up some of the slack that comes with Wasp having only one command chaplain at the moment,” said Weems. “Their hearts are in the right place, and what they’ve learned here will benefit them once they get out in the fleet.”
| Date Taken: | 08.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2010 16:15 |
| Story ID: | 55048 |
| Location: | USS WASP, AT SEA |
| Web Views: | 110 |
| Downloads: | 8 |
This work, Chaplain Candidates Help Keep the Faith on Wasp, by PO2 Christopher Koons, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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